Petition No.: 73 Signatures: 1623
Fourteenth Legislature (2022 - 2026 )
Details - Online
Title
Petition Urging the Maltese Government to Take a Stance Against the ChatControl Proposal by the EU
Date
23-09-2025
Date petition closes for signatures
23-11-2025
Creator of petition
DAVID BRIGUGLIO BROWN
Grievance
The EU’s proposal for a Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse, commonly referred to as ‘Chat Control,’ mandates the automated scanning of all private digital communications on covered. This includes encrypted messages, photos, videos, URLs, and files, which would be scanned without the individual’s consent or suspicion.
The scanning involves client-side technologies that analyze content on users’ devices before encryption, posing risks to the fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in EU and Maltese law.
Furthermore, certain public officials, including politicians and EU staff exempt themselves from this law, creating a double standard in which ordinary citizens are subject to surveillance while those in positions of power remain protected. This risks eroding public trust in democratic institutions and the principle of equality before the law.
While the intention to combat criminal activity is noble, the proposal may actually weaken digital security by introducing systemic backdoors or vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.
In fact, over 500 leading cryptographers, security researchers, and scientists from 34 countries have already signed an open letter criticizing the proposal, highlighting that current detection technologies, including AI, are not accurate enough for such mass surveillance, risking high false positives - which could especially occur whenever someone uses any term with more than one meaning - which may be misinterpreted as perverse. They also warn of potential misuse and the introduction of vulnerabilities into private communications.
In light of these concerns, the petitioners believe that adoption of this proposal would significantly compromise the privacy, security, and civil liberties of Maltese citizens and all EU residents.
The scanning involves client-side technologies that analyze content on users’ devices before encryption, posing risks to the fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in EU and Maltese law.
Furthermore, certain public officials, including politicians and EU staff exempt themselves from this law, creating a double standard in which ordinary citizens are subject to surveillance while those in positions of power remain protected. This risks eroding public trust in democratic institutions and the principle of equality before the law.
While the intention to combat criminal activity is noble, the proposal may actually weaken digital security by introducing systemic backdoors or vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.
In fact, over 500 leading cryptographers, security researchers, and scientists from 34 countries have already signed an open letter criticizing the proposal, highlighting that current detection technologies, including AI, are not accurate enough for such mass surveillance, risking high false positives - which could especially occur whenever someone uses any term with more than one meaning - which may be misinterpreted as perverse. They also warn of potential misuse and the introduction of vulnerabilities into private communications.
In light of these concerns, the petitioners believe that adoption of this proposal would significantly compromise the privacy, security, and civil liberties of Maltese citizens and all EU residents.
Wherefore I/we respectfully request the House of Representatives to
1. Express opposition to the EU Proposal ChatControl, which 5 Maltese MEPs have already shown concerns about, and;
2. Urge the Maltese Government and Malta’s representatives in the Council of the EU and European Parliament to oppose its adoption - in order to safeguard the right to private communication for all citizens.
2. Urge the Maltese Government and Malta’s representatives in the Council of the EU and European Parliament to oppose its adoption - in order to safeguard the right to private communication for all citizens.
Closing remarks
Under the proposal, all private digital communications, including messages, photos, and files, would be automatically scanned without the consent or suspicion of the individual. This is not limited to criminal activity; rather, it constitutes mass surveillance affecting all citizens of the European Union, including Maltese residents, and represents a significant intrusion into privacy and fundamental rights.